ACHL Division 1

Dunloy 3-23 Ballycastle 2-16

With the league title already residing in Fr Healy Park, Dunloy out-scored visitors Ballycastle in a high scoring encounter at Pearse Park on Sunday.

With their county players back on board the Cuchullian’s had too much fire power in the end for a Ballycastle team who produced some excellent spells of hurling themselves with both sides probably using this game as preparation for the forthcoming championship.

Eoin O’Neill was in great form for the home side and netted within 10 seconds to give his side a lead they would not lose over the hour.

Points from O’Neill and Ryan McGarry for Dunloy in response to similar scores from Seamus and Neal McAuley for Ballycastle kept the score board ticking before O’Neill got in for his second goal with 7 minutes on the clock.

It was the Cuchullian’s who continued to call the shots as Chrissie McMahon, Keelan Molloy 0-2 and Phelim Duffin with a massive point from inside his own half moved the home side 2-4 to 0-3 ahead after 13 minutes, the Ballycastle point coming from Neal McAuley.

Dunloy continued to press forward with points from Keelan Molloy and Kevin McKeague before the visitors replied through Aaron Mooney and James McLister with Coby Cunning and Ciaran Butler exchanging further minors.

The ‘Castle’ were battling hard and were rewarded for their efforts when Neal McAuley finished a well worked attack with a goal in the 20^th minute and the same player added a pointed free and another from play by the 25^th minute.

It was the Pearse Park side who finished the half on the front foot however as Keelan Molloy, Nigel Elliott, Coby Cunning and Molloy again add unanswered points to leave the home side 2-12 to 1-8 ahead at the break.

Dunloy started the second half as they had the first with Coby Cunning firing home their third goal in the opening minute and Keelan Molloy, Cunning and Seann Elliott added points in quick succession.

Lorcan Donnelly replied with a goal for Ballycastle in the 4^th minute and followed with a point to raise the visitor’s hopes but three on the bounce from Deaglan Smyth, Seann Elliott and Keelan Molloy moved the championship holders 12 ahead by the 13^th minute.

It was as good as over at this stage but to their credit Ballycastle never gave up and out-scored the home side 6 to 2 in the final quarter with Seamus McAuley leading the way.

McAuley added 0-3 to his side’s total with Ciaran Butler 0-2 and Conor Boyd on target for the visitors while Chrissie McMahon replied for a Dunloy side who could just be running into form with the championship looming on the horizon.

Dunloy: 1 Ryan Elliott, 2 Phelim Duffin, 3 Conor McKinley, 4 Conor Kinsela, 5 Eamon Smyth, 6 Kevin Molloy, 7 Ryan McGarry, 8 Ciaran Elliott, 9 Eoin McFerran, 10 Keelan Molloy, 11 Gabriel McTaggart, 12 Nigel Elliott, 13 Eoin O’Neill, 14 Conal Cunning, 15 Chris McMahon, 16 Eoghan Richmond, 17 Seaan Elliott, 18 Ronan Molloy, 20 Deaglan Smyth

Ballycastle: 1 Ryan McGarry, 2 Oisin McAuley, 3 Conal Colgan, 4 Reuben McClean, 5 James McLister, 6 Conor Boyd, 7 Eoin McAlonan, 8 Ronan McCarry, 9 Rian McCook, 10 Seamus McAuley, 11 Ciaran Butler, 12 Neal McAuley, 13, Lorcan Donnelly, 14 Cathal Connor, 15 Aaron Mooney.

Referee: Eamonn Hassan

Cushendun Emmet’s 1-24 St Gall’s 0-16

Report by Denis O’Hara

Pics by Micky Morgan

CONLAOTH ‘Loaf’ McNEILL produced a master class in sharpshooting to make sure the Emmet’s closed out their Division Two title-winning campaign on a top note from this stormy tussle at The Riggs..

The supremely talented forward bagged 1-10, his first half goal significantly turning the action firmly in favour of the Emmet’s when playing into a stiff breeze..

Loaf’s almost leisurely ability to pick off scores, the excellence of teenage centre half Sean McKay and the bravery of young deputy goalkeeper Eoin ‘Cubby’ Magee helped the Emmet’s to dig deep – and celebrate the clinching of the Division Two title.

“We knew it would be a tough test against St Gall’s, but the boys rose to the challenge to prove they are worthy league champions. Now the target is the Championship,” said Emmet’s manager Rory McQuillan, after the trophy was presented to home skipper Jack McKay by, ironically a St Gall’s club member, Sinead Mullan – the County Assistant Secretary,

St Gall’s came with mean intent to make sure the Antrim Coast side would earn their trophy success, even though the title race ended 24 hours earlier when Glenariffe surprisingly lost at home to Ahoghill’s Clooney Gaels.

There was nothing meaningless about the end fixture as St Gall’s came smartly out of the traps and with wind advantage the home heroes had to grind out an early spell when second best for much of the opening quarter.

The accuracy of Jackson McGreevy and Cushendun natvice Leo Morgan had the city side moving nicely until the Emmet’s upped the ante in the 16th minute.

An exceptional save by St Gall’s Kurtis McGreevy, who had an outstanding game, from Harry Kilgore, hinted at better things to come for the locals as Colm McKeegan angled over a superb point.

Indeed, after his exceptional bravery to halt James Morgan and a Harry Kilgore follow-up from entering the net, the Emmet’s took the lead for the first time in the 23rd minute.

‘Loaf’ McNeill cutely palmed home a lengthy lob from the rapidly maturing centre half Sean McKay.

Seconds later, St Gall’s tried to remedy the situation but home ‘keeper Eoin ‘Cubby’ Magee, standing in for the unavailable Gareth McGhee, blocked a Mark Napier effort with his forehead and required treatment.

Generally, Cubby had the comfort of a stubborn wall in front of him – Jack McKay, Aidan Corbett and Sean Hamilton.

This little cameo of crucial events turned the game in favour of the high energy Emmet’s, who bagged 1-5 before turning 1-9 to 0-8 clear.

The second half belonged to the stunning accuracy of Loaf McNeill, plonking over long-distance frees from all angles. Not far behind in the scoring spree were 24-year-old winger James Morgan, the ever ready wing half Callum Kilgore, midfielder Conor Bannon, leggy winger Harry Kilgore, crafty corner man Colm McKeegan and centre forward, Fintan McQuillan.

One player rose above all the tension, the impressively athletic centre back Sean McKay, a 17 year old schoolboy full-back rugby star for Ballymena Academy.

McKay, an outstanding hurling prospect, took over the pivital role at number six, for the injured Donal O’Hara.

St Gall’s hugely talented Jackson McGreevy, was a constant thorn in the Cushendun sides. He had superb support from goalkeeper Kurtis McGreevy, centre half Jeff Frampton, midfielder Jack Hopkins and livewire corner forward Napier.

CUSHENDUN Emmet’s: E Magee; J McKay (c), A Corbett, S Hamilton; T Scally, S McKay, C Kilgore; D McQuillan and C Bannon; H Kilgore, F McQuillan, J Morgan; C McKeegan, C McHugh, C McNeill.

Subs used-D Sharkey, O McMahon, D Kilgore, C McDonnell.

Scorers: C McNeill 1-10 (nine frees) J Morgan 0-3, C McKeegan, H Kilgore, F McQuillan 0-2 each, C Kilgore C Bannon, D Sharkey, C McHugh, D Kilgore 0-1 each.

BELFAST St Gall’s: K McGreevy; D Churchill, C McCartan, E Flush; G MacAdian, J Frampton, D MacLiam; J Hopkins and S McGreevy; J McGreevy, C Sheehan, D Delaney; F Donnelly, L Morgan, M Napier. Subs used-O Kelly,T McAleenan.

Scorers: J McGreevy 0-10 (nine frees), M Napier, L Morgan, D MacLiam, J Frampton, F Donnelly, S McGreevy 0-1 each.

Ref-Terence Mulvenna (Bredagh)

O’Neill’s Sportwear Division 1 Hurling League

Loughgiel 1-23 St Enda’s 1-15

Loughgiel ended their Senior Hurling League campaign with a win over St Enda’s at Fr Healy Park on Sunday, the Shamrocks in control for most of the game. Going into the match they knew they had already wrapped up the league title, but with both teams meeting in the first round of the championship in three weeks’ time it was important for them to lay down a marker.

The home side led by six at half time 1-11 to 0-8, their goal coming from Paul Boyle who finished off a good three man move with an excellent finish. Though they stretched that lead out to nine midway through the second half, Naomh Eanna fought back well and a goal from full forward Ruairi Donaghy helped them close the gap to four with ten minutes left for play. That was as good as it got for the visitors however and when Bubbles McMullan won a long poc-out for the Shamrocks, and weaved his way through the Naomh Eanna defence to slam home a goal, there was no way back for the Glengormley men.

There was little between the sides in the opening quarter, most of the Loughgiel scores coming from James McNaughton frees, while Michael McGivern, Ruairi Donaghy and centre back Cormac Ross replied for St Enda’s. A superbly taken goal by Paul Boyle just before half time gave the home team a definite edge, and it could have been worse for the visitors had it not been a fantastic save by goalkeeper Martin Curran two minutes after Boyle’s strike.

Damon McMullan added to Loughgiel’s total early in the second half and with midfielder Ben McGarry adding two top class scores it appeared to be all plain sailing. However St Enda’s kept battling and when full forward Ruairi Donaghy worked his way in along the endline and fired home from a narrow angle it gave them hope. Luke and Eddie O’Connor added points to keep them in touch, but when Rian McMullan got in for a goal there was no way back.

After the final whistle North Antrim chairman Martin Magee presented the league trophy to Loughgiel captain Declan McCloskey and many of their young fans joined in the celebration pic, but there are bigger days ahead for both teams, starting with that meeting between the two of them on August 5^th at Hightown.